FIREBLIGHT AREA

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17787, 12 August 1929, Page 9

FIREBLIGHT AREA

OBJECTION TO FARMERS’ ACTION As a protest against the action of the Wairarapa Executive of the Farmers’ Union in supporting the establishment of a local flreblight area, Messrs S. It. Gawith and H. F. Coom wrote to the last meeting resigning their membership. Mr Coom stated in his letter that it would be muoh better, in his opinion, to allow the fruitgrowers to fight such a matter out for themselves, while, if it was necessary to eradicate hawthorn, the plan should be made to operate all over New Zealand.

The president (Mr C. C. Jackson) said lie was sorry that two members had taken up this attitude, it seemed to him to be a small-minded way of looking at an important question. Frequently the Farmers’ Union had urged that vigorous action he taken towards eradicating noxious wheels and stock pests, and if the Union were going, to lose members every time it did urge tiicse steps, the membership would soon be seriously reduced. Mr D. McGregor pointed out that the Union had not favoured the eradication of hawthorn, but only the declaration of flreblight areas. That did not necessarily mean that hawthorn should be eradicated, .but prevented from flowering. Eventually Messrs C. C. Jackson, T. R. Barrer and D. McGregor were appointed to wait on the two protesting members.